The present invention relates generally to the art of cryptography and more specifically to hardware and techniques for verifying the integrity of data communications.
With the growing use of remote communications lines to transfer data between data processing systems, between terminals and remote data banks, and between terminals connected to the same or different computers, the need to verify the integrity of the data being transferred has grown. In the banking industry, there is a growing need to assure the correct transmission of electronic funds. Similar needs exist in business and in the government sector. This need to verify the integrity of data communications is likely to grow as the use of communications lines to transfer data between remote locations increases.